Container and cap therefor



7 n I jwwsm @Zgfiz W a. M. 3. WT CONTAINER AND CAP THEREFOR. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14.1.917- RENEWED SEPT. 12. 192i- 1,399,671-, Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

A TTORNE Y8 UNITED STATES CONTAINER AND GAP THEREFOR.

Application filed February 14, 1917, Serial No. 148,641. Renewed September 12, 1321. Serial No. 500,269.

is a specification.

l dy invention relates to improvements in bottles or other containers and closures therefor, and comprlses means whereby, 1n

the event of shrinkage or contraction of the liquid or semi-liquid contents of the bottle or other container occurring after such bottle or container has been filled, the closing cap or like closing device, or a part of such cap or closing device, may be drawn or pressed down the neck of the bottle or container to a point near the surface level of the contents of the bottle or container, thereby eliminating any considerableair or gas space which might otherwise exist be tween the top of such contents of the bottle or container, and the cap or closure.

When liquids are bottled hot, and the bottles are closed immediately upon, or shortly after, filling, then since the liquid contracts in cooling, an air or gas space of considerable volume is left between the top of the liquid and the cap or closure. This is objectionable, for various reasons. It often leads the ultimate user to believe that the bottle was not filled as full as it could and should have been. or gas space permits objectionable agitation of the liquid to result from ordinary handling of the container; whereas if the closure were very close to the surface of the liquid, so as to leave only a minimum air or gas space between such closure and the surface of the liquid, ordinary handling of the container will result in little or no agitation of the liquid. This is particularly importantin the case of pasteurized milk, for agitation of the milk after bottling will interfere with the rise of the cream; and users are apt to judge the quality of the milk very largely by the depth of the cream la er.

ln some cases bottles or other containers are filled with a liquid or semi-liquid material which is heated within the container and subsequently cooled. In such case, space must obviously be left in the container to allow for the expansion of the contents during heating; such space being, obviously,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Furthermore, this air Patented Dec. 6, H321.

the same, or substantially the same, as will be emptied by the subsequent contraction of the contents in cooling. The invention herein described is equally applicable to in stances where containers are filled with hot liquid or semi-liquid material which is then allowed to cool, and to instances where bottles or containers are filled with liquid or semi-liquid material which is subsequently heated within the container and then allowed to cool. Furthermore, there may be cases where liquid or semi-liquid contents of a bottle or other container suffer contraction or shrinkage for reasons other than cooling, and the invention herein de scribed is equally applicable in such instances.

My invention comprises a novel bottle or other container having two positions for a closure, such as a cap, also a novel closure for such bottle or container. Other features of my invention will be pointed out hereafter.

The object of my invention is to provide a container and closure or cap therefor, of such nature that, after initial closing of the bottle or container, the closure or at least a part thereof, may be caused to move down in the neck of the bottle or container a distance suflicient to substantially compensate for the reduction in volume of the contents of the container due to contraction or shrinkage; andto make the means for the accomplishment of the above object simple and inexpensive; also to provide a method of closing bottles and the like whereby atmospheric pressure will cause the closure, or a part thereof, to move down so as to reduce the space between such closure and the sur face of the contents of the bottle.

ll will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings and will then point out the novel features'in the claim. In said drawings:

Figure 1 shows an elevation and partial central vertical section of a bottle or con tainer (specifically, a milk bottle of substantially ordinary configuration) having two retaining grooves for a bottle cap;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the upper portion of a bottle provided with one retaining groove only;

Figs. 3 and 4- are vertical sections of a two-part cap adapted for use in the bottle shown in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. 3 showing the two parts of the cap separated, as they will together.

Fig. 5 is a central vertical section of the upper portion of the bottle such as shown in Fig. 1, and shows the cap of F 1gs.'3 and 4 in place in that bottle, in the first position.

Fig. 6 is. a view similar to Fig. 5, but shows the parts of the cap separated as a result of contraction or shrinkage of the contents of the bottle.

Fig. 7 shows a central vertical section of the upper portion of the bottle having within its neck another form of two-part cap.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6: Numeral 1. designates the bottle or'con'tainer, of ordinary construction, except that it is provided with two cap-retaining grooves, 2 and 3, of which groove 2 is located just above what should be the surface of the liquid or semi-liquid contents of the bottle when first filled, (if filled with hot liquid), or what should be the surface of the liquid when heated, (in case the contents of the bottle are heated for pasteurization, sterilization, etc., after being placed in the bottle.) Groove 3 is located just above what should be the surface of the liquid or semi-liquid contents of the bottle when such contents have cooled ,or otherwise contracted or shrunk.

Figs. 8 and 4 show a two-part cap adapted for use in connection with the bottle shown in Fig. 1, and consisting of two-disks i and 5 of approximately the same diameter, the upper disk being provided with an opening 6 which may be of small diameter. These disks may be formed of paper or like material, though I do not limit myself to any particular material. As first formed, they are separate one from another, as indicated in Fig. 3, and are caused to adhere slightly one to another by being pressed together; and if desired the adhesion may be increased by application of a very weak adhesive to one or the other of the members 4: and 5. The purpose is the production of the two- 7 part cap which may be handled as a one part cap and may be set in place by an ordinary capping machine, and yet shall be capable of the separation of its layers under the conditions hereinafter specified.

Bottle 1 having been filled (and we will assume that it is filled with a hot liquid, and is filled to the level of the lower edge of groove 2) the cap 4-5 of Fig. i is placed in the groove 2 by ordinary means (either by hand or by'an ordinary capping machine). As the contents of the bottle cool and contract, a partial vacuum will be formed beneath the surface of the cap 47-5, resulting in application of considerable atmospheric pressure through opening 6 of layer 4 of the cap to layer 5; which pressure will result in drawing down the layer 5 until it seats in groove 3. Fig. 5 shows the two-part cap in its first position, and Fig. 6 shows the two parts of the cap in their ultimate positions.

\Vhile the doubly-grooved bottle, above described, is convenient for the purpose, yet a bottle with a single groove only, as shown in Fig. 2, may be employed. Fig. 7 shows a two-part cap seated in the groove of such a bottle.

In the cap of this Fig. 7, the lower member 10 is extensible either because of being formed of a more or less elastic material. or rendered extensible by crimping or the like. Member 9 has in it an air opening 6. This cap (which initially will be flat on its lower side, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 7), is applied in the ordinary way; and then. as the contents of the bottle contract or shrink, the member 10 of the cap will be forced down by reason of atmospheric pressure communicated to it through opening 6, until finally it reaches a position such as indicated in full lines in Fig. 7.

In the case of the two-part caps of Figs. 3, at, 5, 6 and 7, the lower member 5 or '10 is to be considered as in itself a complete cap or closure.

hat I claim is The combination with a bottle or other container comprising a mouth portion provided with a plurality of cap-holding grooves of different heights, of a two-part closing cap seated in an upper groove and comprising upper and lower members which are separable relatively, the lower member adapted to be drawn down into another groove of said mouth portion.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GODFREY M. S. TAIT.

Witnesses:

T. H. YEAGER, T. LYMAN Pria'rr. 

